2026 comparison

Updated Jan 16, 2026

|Sources: Amazon, Manufacturer

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Choosing between Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 can be tricky. Both are excellent, but they serve different priorities. This guide highlights what matters for US shoppers.

Ratings: 4.7★ vs 4.5★

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

★4.7

(425)•Amazon

Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later (incl. iPhone SE 2nd gen+) with iOS 18 or later

Operating System:watchOS

Case Size:49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D)

Case Material:Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black)

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

★4.5

(6,385)•Amazon

Compatibility:Android 11.0 or higher with 1.5GB+ RAM; Samsung Galaxy phone required for Energy Score, ECG, Sleep Apnea, and IHRN features

Operating System:Wear OS 5 powered by Samsung (One UI 6 Watch)

Case Size:44mm (44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7 mm) or 40mm (40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7 mm)

Case Material:Armor Aluminum 2 case; Sapphire Crystal glass

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Comparison: Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Apple Watch Ultra 3

★4.7(425)Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

★4.5(6,385)Amazon

Criterion	Apple Watch Ultra 3	Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Rating	★4.7(425)Amazon	★4.5(6,385)Amazon
Compatibility	iPhone Xs or later (incl. iPhone SE 2nd gen+) with iOS 18 or later	Android 11.0 or higher with 1.5GB+ RAM; Samsung Galaxy phone required for Energy Score, ECG, Sleep Apnea, and IHRN features
Operating System	watchOS	Wear OS 5 powered by Samsung (One UI 6 Watch)
Case Size	49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D)	44mm (44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7 mm) or 40mm (40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7 mm)
Case Material	Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black)	Armor Aluminum 2 case; Sapphire Crystal glass
Display Type	Always-On Retina display (LTPO3 OLED) with flat sapphire crystal	Super AMOLED; Always-On Display; Peak brightness 2000 nits
Display Size	1245 sq mm display area	1.5 in (44mm) / 1.3 in (40mm)
Resolution	422 x 514 pixels (326 ppi)	480 x 480 pixels (44mm); 432 x 432 pixels (40mm)
Always On Display	Yes	Yes
Water Resistance	100 m (ISO 22810); EN13319 recreational scuba diving to 40 m (130 ft)	5 ATM + IP68 (water resistant up to 50 meters for 10 min)
Durability	IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD 810H tested	MIL-STD-810H certified; Dust tight (IP68)
GPS	Precision dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5)	Dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5); Glonass; Beidou; Galileo
Connectivity	LTE and UMTS; Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; U2 Ultra Wideband chip	LTE (optional); Wi-Fi 2.4+5GHz; Bluetooth 5.3; NFC
NFC Payments	Apple Pay	Samsung Wallet / Google Wallet
Sensors	Electrical heart (ECG), optical heart (Gen 3), temperature (body/water), blood oxygen, depth gauge, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope	Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Bio-signal + Electrical Heart + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis); Temperature sensor; Accelerometer; Barometer; Gyro sensor; Geomagnetic sensor; Light sensor
Health Features	ECG, Blood Oxygen, Heart Rate zones, Sleep Tracking/Apnea notifications, Vitals app, Cycle Tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates	Energy Score; Sleep Apnea detection (FDA authorized); AGEs Index; Body Composition (BIA); ECG; Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification; Cycle Tracking with skin temperature; Sleep coaching
Workout Modes	Multisport, Running (Advanced Metrics), Hiking (Topographic Maps), Ocean Diving, Swimming, Cycling	Advanced Run Coaching; Race (compete against past results); Track Back; Custom Interval Training; Swimming (Pool & Open Water); Cycling; Hiking; Circuit Training; and 100+ others via Samsung Health
Storage	64GB	32GB
Speaker Mic	Dual speakers; three-microphone array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation; 86dB Siren	Speaker; Microphone
Calls	Yes (via Cellular or Wi-Fi)	Yes (LTE standalone or via paired phone)
Battery	Up to 36 hours (normal use); Up to 72 hours (Low Power Mode)	425 mAh (44mm) / 300 mAh (40mm); Up to 40 hours (AOD off); Up to 30 hours (AOD on)
Charging	Fast charging (0–80% in approx. 1 hour) with USB-C Magnetic Fast Charger	Fast Wireless Charging (WPC Inductive); 0-45% in approx. 30 mins
Weight	61.8 g	33.8 g (44mm) / 28.8 g (40mm) (Body only)
Band Sizes	Fits 130–210mm wrists (Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, Ocean Band)	Fits 20mm standard bands (One Click system)
Extras	S10 SiP, Double Tap gesture, On-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, Flashlight/Night Mode, Crash Detection, Fall Detection	Exynos W1000 (3nm) Processor; Galaxy AI features (Smart Reply, Voice-to-Text summaries); Double Pinch gesture
Pros	Class-leading 3,000-nit display brightness Rugged titanium build with 100m water resistance Excellent battery life relative to category (up to 72h low power) Precision dual-frequency GPS ideal for outdoor sports	Significantly faster performance with new 3nm Exynos W1000 chip Dual-frequency GPS improves tracking accuracy in cities New health metrics: Sleep Apnea, AGEs Index, and Energy Score Double the storage (32GB) compared to Watch 6 Lightweight and comfortable Armor Aluminum design
Cons	Large 49mm case may be too bulky for smaller wrists High price point Exclusive to iPhone ecosystem Minimal design changes from previous generation	Battery life remains roughly 1 day with heavy use (requires daily charging) Advanced health features (ECG, Apnea) strictly require Samsung phones Charging speed is decent but slower than some competitors Design is virtually identical to the previous generation
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	Check Price on Amazon→	Check Price on Amazon→

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Rating:★4.7(425)Amazon

Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later (incl. iPhone SE 2nd gen+) with iOS 18 or later

Operating System:watchOS

Case Size:49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D)

Case Material:Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black)

Display Type:Always-On Retina display (LTPO3 OLED) with flat sapphire crystal

Display Size:1245 sq mm display area

Resolution:422 x 514 pixels (326 ppi)

Always On Display:Yes

Water Resistance:100 m (ISO 22810); EN13319 recreational scuba diving to 40 m (130 ft)

Durability:IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD 810H tested

GPS:Precision dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5)

Connectivity:LTE and UMTS; Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; U2 Ultra Wideband chip

NFC Payments:Apple Pay

Sensors:Electrical heart (ECG), optical heart (Gen 3), temperature (body/water), blood oxygen, depth gauge, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope

Health Features:ECG, Blood Oxygen, Heart Rate zones, Sleep Tracking/Apnea notifications, Vitals app, Cycle Tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates

Workout Modes:Multisport, Running (Advanced Metrics), Hiking (Topographic Maps), Ocean Diving, Swimming, Cycling

Storage:64GB

Speaker Mic:Dual speakers; three-microphone array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation; 86dB Siren

Calls:Yes (via Cellular or Wi-Fi)

Battery:Up to 36 hours (normal use); Up to 72 hours (Low Power Mode)

Charging:Fast charging (0–80% in approx. 1 hour) with USB-C Magnetic Fast Charger

Weight:61.8 g

Band Sizes:Fits 130–210mm wrists (Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, Ocean Band)

Extras:S10 SiP, Double Tap gesture, On-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, Flashlight/Night Mode, Crash Detection, Fall Detection

✓ Pros:

• Class-leading 3,000-nit display brightness
• Rugged titanium build with 100m water resistance
• Excellent battery life relative to category (up to 72h low power)
• Precision dual-frequency GPS ideal for outdoor sports

✗ Cons:

• Large 49mm case may be too bulky for smaller wrists
• High price point
• Exclusive to iPhone ecosystem
• Minimal design changes from previous generation

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Rating:★4.5(6,385)Amazon

Compatibility:Android 11.0 or higher with 1.5GB+ RAM; Samsung Galaxy phone required for Energy Score, ECG, Sleep Apnea, and IHRN features

Operating System:Wear OS 5 powered by Samsung (One UI 6 Watch)

Case Size:44mm (44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7 mm) or 40mm (40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7 mm)

Case Material:Armor Aluminum 2 case; Sapphire Crystal glass

Display Type:Super AMOLED; Always-On Display; Peak brightness 2000 nits

Display Size:1.5 in (44mm) / 1.3 in (40mm)

Resolution:480 x 480 pixels (44mm); 432 x 432 pixels (40mm)

Always On Display:Yes

Water Resistance:5 ATM + IP68 (water resistant up to 50 meters for 10 min)

Durability:MIL-STD-810H certified; Dust tight (IP68)

GPS:Dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5); Glonass; Beidou; Galileo

Connectivity:LTE (optional); Wi-Fi 2.4+5GHz; Bluetooth 5.3; NFC

NFC Payments:Samsung Wallet / Google Wallet

Sensors:Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Bio-signal + Electrical Heart + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis); Temperature sensor; Accelerometer; Barometer; Gyro sensor; Geomagnetic sensor; Light sensor

Health Features:Energy Score; Sleep Apnea detection (FDA authorized); AGEs Index; Body Composition (BIA); ECG; Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification; Cycle Tracking with skin temperature; Sleep coaching

Workout Modes:Advanced Run Coaching; Race (compete against past results); Track Back; Custom Interval Training; Swimming (Pool & Open Water); Cycling; Hiking; Circuit Training; and 100+ others via Samsung Health

Storage:32GB

Speaker Mic:Speaker; Microphone

Calls:Yes (LTE standalone or via paired phone)

Battery:425 mAh (44mm) / 300 mAh (40mm); Up to 40 hours (AOD off); Up to 30 hours (AOD on)

Charging:Fast Wireless Charging (WPC Inductive); 0-45% in approx. 30 mins

Weight:33.8 g (44mm) / 28.8 g (40mm) (Body only)

Band Sizes:Fits 20mm standard bands (One Click system)

Extras:Exynos W1000 (3nm) Processor; Galaxy AI features (Smart Reply, Voice-to-Text summaries); Double Pinch gesture

✓ Pros:

• Significantly faster performance with new 3nm Exynos W1000 chip
• Dual-frequency GPS improves tracking accuracy in cities
• New health metrics: Sleep Apnea, AGEs Index, and Energy Score
• Double the storage (32GB) compared to Watch 6
• Lightweight and comfortable Armor Aluminum design

✗ Cons:

• Battery life remains roughly 1 day with heavy use (requires daily charging)
• Advanced health features (ECG, Apnea) strictly require Samsung phones
• Charging speed is decent but slower than some competitors
• Design is virtually identical to the previous generation

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Check Price on Amazon→

Which one is better?

Based on ratings and feature balance, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 has a slight edge for specific features. Apple Watch Ultra 3 remains a strong alternative if its strengths match your needs.

Who should buy each?

Choose Apple Watch Ultra 3 if:
- You want Class-leading 3,000-nit display brightness, Rugged titanium build with 100m water resistance
- Rating: 4.7★ (425 reviews)

Choose Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 if:
- You prefer Significantly faster performance with new 3nm Exynos W1000 chip, Dual-frequency GPS improves tracking accuracy in cities
- Rating: 4.5★ (6385 reviews)

Conclusion

Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.

Frequently Asked Questions

+Which has better value?

Apple Watch Ultra 3 excels if you value class-leading 3,000-nit display brightness. Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is better if you prioritize significantly faster performance with new 3nm exynos w1000 chip. Pick based on your budget and daily use.

+Is this an independent review?

Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.

+Do newer models exist?

Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.

Affiliate disclosure

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